Danaë

Elias van Nijmegen

1677 - 1755

Danaë by Elias van Nijmegen, 1677 - 1755

In this lively Baroque sketch, the myth of Danaë unfolds like a scene from a stage play. The beautiful Danaë reclines on a bed draped in rumpled blue linens, gazing upward as a chubby cherub hovers above—likely heralding the arrival of Zeus in the form of a golden shower. A standing figure, perhaps her nurse, pulls back a heavy curtain, adding to the sense of a secret, divine encounter. Elias van Nijmegen used loose ink lines and soft watercolor washes to capture the movement and emotion, giving this classical tale a spontaneous, energetic feel.

Technique
Pen and ink with watercolor wash
Material
Paper
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